Perth-Heathrow
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Perth-Heathrow
short flights long nights
The 777 200 LR could do it now.
Join Date: Oct 2013
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Prompts me to ask, Hon. Members, what is the longest existing commercial passenger flight? As regards LHR to Perth, I suppose you could offer those Airbus style sleeping-pods and a couple of pills for a very different flying experience. Question is would enough people want to go to Perth, when the main Oz population centres are on the east coast. The longest direct flight we've done is HKG/LHR - 11 hours which passed relatively painless key in 747 economy down at the back end in paired seats so no interruptions. 18 hours - I'm not so sure I could cope without lying down.
An absolute nightmare in economy in a B787 in 9 across configuration. Market limited to traffic between PER and LHR only as Asia and the Middle East offer better connections to other destinations and no one will suffer an 18 hour flight followed by a 2 hour lay over and then a 1 hour flight.
The last trip I did Asia to Europe I broke the journey for a few hours in the Middle East. Enjoyed a session in the gym, a few laps of the pool and 20 mins in the jacuzzi. After a nice meal in a restaurant I was quite happy to get back on board for another 7 hours. Stayed airside the whole time and as the flights were daytime was quite happy in economy.
Up to 4 hours, a low cost will do.
Up to 8 hours, economy in daytime on a decent airline.
Beyond 8 hours I'm looking at breaking the journey or business class.
A premium fare will need to be charged to cover the cost of the extra fuel used vs a stop in the desert. It might be better to go as far as Dubai and feed into the EK network.
The last trip I did Asia to Europe I broke the journey for a few hours in the Middle East. Enjoyed a session in the gym, a few laps of the pool and 20 mins in the jacuzzi. After a nice meal in a restaurant I was quite happy to get back on board for another 7 hours. Stayed airside the whole time and as the flights were daytime was quite happy in economy.
Up to 4 hours, a low cost will do.
Up to 8 hours, economy in daytime on a decent airline.
Beyond 8 hours I'm looking at breaking the journey or business class.
A premium fare will need to be charged to cover the cost of the extra fuel used vs a stop in the desert. It might be better to go as far as Dubai and feed into the EK network.
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I would happily sit upright for 18 hours if it meant sticking it to the ME hubs (or even the Asian hubs). It's a pity the Perth domestic-international transfer is such a long distance - that airport really needs work.
With such a huge feeder network already in existence (widebody aircraft from the East Coast around the clock), Perth could be a great hub if it could get it's act in order. (CAT III would help too, but I digress...)
I personally doubt the 787-9 would do this run but I have speculated that the 777-8X could if expectations become real.
Banjo:
Yeah but someone forgot to order them. And in any case, it would have needed to have significant number of high yield premium seats to make it work - hard to justify in a cyclic marketplace, and probably a good decision, no, lucky decison given what's happened to the market since 2008 (good decision re the 777 LR, still bad decision, no, criminal decision re the 777 in general).
I guess the good news could be that it would be a fuel critical sector so seats should be limited... Theoretically that could mean better lie-back seats in Y-class, but then again pigs fly Mach 5 in my version of the future.
Definitions for the purposes of the last sentence:
"Theoretically" = good idea, but does not meet corporate ideals
"Could" = should, but does not meet corporate ideals
"pigs fly Mach 5 in my version of the future" = I have some really good ideas but they don't meet corporate ideals
With such a huge feeder network already in existence (widebody aircraft from the East Coast around the clock), Perth could be a great hub if it could get it's act in order. (CAT III would help too, but I digress...)
I personally doubt the 787-9 would do this run but I have speculated that the 777-8X could if expectations become real.
Banjo:
The 777 200 LR could do it now.
I guess the good news could be that it would be a fuel critical sector so seats should be limited... Theoretically that could mean better lie-back seats in Y-class, but then again pigs fly Mach 5 in my version of the future.
Definitions for the purposes of the last sentence:
"Theoretically" = good idea, but does not meet corporate ideals
"Could" = should, but does not meet corporate ideals
"pigs fly Mach 5 in my version of the future" = I have some really good ideas but they don't meet corporate ideals
Last edited by Derfred; 11th Oct 2015 at 15:11. Reason: Comment re 777 200 LR
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Except for inept ATC at one end of the journey......
Even if everything with the aircraft worked out, Perth is going to have to get its into the 21st century with infrastructure otherwise this flight would be to risky. Any diversion as it stands will be a logistical nightmare because:
1. There is nowhere to go. YPLM is probably it. I doubt they could carry ADL
2. Once you get there the crew are all out of hours so you would probably need a charter to get pilots and CC out there.
3. You then have a bunch of tired grumpy pax who have been airborne for a 18 hours and now have to wait for the rescue.
EK kicked up a huge stink a few years ago after a run of fog in Perth lead to day after day of diversions but years later and nothing much has happened on the low viz front.
So until there is CAT III in Perth this is a non starter
1. There is nowhere to go. YPLM is probably it. I doubt they could carry ADL
2. Once you get there the crew are all out of hours so you would probably need a charter to get pilots and CC out there.
3. You then have a bunch of tired grumpy pax who have been airborne for a 18 hours and now have to wait for the rescue.
EK kicked up a huge stink a few years ago after a run of fog in Perth lead to day after day of diversions but years later and nothing much has happened on the low viz front.
So until there is CAT III in Perth this is a non starter
I agree, Perth needs to step up re infrastructure..
However, if the schedule is timed correctly, and arrives at lunchtime or afternoon, it's likely they would do it. Not much fog in the afternoon.
However, if the schedule is timed correctly, and arrives at lunchtime or afternoon, it's likely they would do it. Not much fog in the afternoon.
The afternoon arrival would work in regard to fog, however it would then limit any connections to the east coast. If you were going to try this you would want a east coast feed which would be best done with a early arrival or possibly a late evening arrival with a redeye connection.
As mentioned previously they really need to sort out the terminal situation too. Ideally you clear customs in Perth and walk onto your domestic connection.
As mentioned previously they really need to sort out the terminal situation too. Ideally you clear customs in Perth and walk onto your domestic connection.
Surely this would primarily be for Perth residents? If you had to stop somewhere for a transit ie if you resided on the east coast, wouldn't you be better off transiting somewhere near the middle of the journey 8 + 13 (Asia/Dubai) as opposed to doing 18 + 3 hours especially if it involves with a Int>Dom transfer?
Nunc est bibendum
I thought the plan was for Qantas to all be in one terminal within the next few years. Domestic and international ops. That'd sort out the transfer issues.